2023-08-23 12:49:04
LOU BENOIST / AFP The rapper Médine, at the heart of a controversy in France, is deprogrammed from a festival in Belgium.
LOU BENOIST / AFP
The rapper Médine, at the heart of a controversy in France, is deprogrammed from a festival in Belgium.
CULTURE – Door closed for Medina. The French rapper, at the heart of a controversy following a tweet deemed anti-Semitic which he later regretted, was deprogrammed from a festival where he was to perform on Friday in Namur, Belgium, the organizers announced on Wednesday August 23.
The Les Solidarités festival justifies its decision by “ a concern for appeasement », according to a press release. “ Despite the artist’s apologies and explanations, a wave of reactions, sometimes hateful, sometimes more balanced, swept across the canvas.. « In this context […]we made the decision to give up coming to Medina”add the organizers.
The event brings together several French singers, including BigFLo and Oli, Zazie and Louise Attaque. Medina was to occupy the festival stage this Friday, August 25, from 8:50 p.m. to 9:50 p.m. The name of the artist who will perform in his place on this slot has not been revealed by the organizers.
“It’s a mistake, I admit it”
The 40-year-old rapper defended himself on Wednesday from accusations of anti-Semitism, following two weeks of silence. A clarification in two interviews at Le Parisien and Paris-Normandie, to apologize once more for his message on X (ex-Twitter) qualifying the essayist Rachel Khan, Jewish and granddaughter of deportees, of “resKHANpee”.
“It’s a mistake, I admit it” he said, explaining that he had no “not in mind the history of his family” when he published this “awkward tweet” in response to a message from Rachel Khan calling him a ” waste “. “I am accused of anti-Semitism and that crushes me”he laments.
“Anti-Semitism is a poison, I have been fighting it for a long time”he said.
The rapper also indicated that there is no question for him of giving up the debate scheduled for Thursday at the end of the day, in his hometown of Le Havre, at the Ecologist Summer Days with the boss of EELV Marine Tondelier. “I maintain my presence”decides the artist, convinced that his detractors seek to “to discredit the left through (him)” and castigating a “living room anti-racism”.
A declaration which follows the last minute cancellations of the visit of the EELV mayors of Strasbourg and Bordeaux, Jeanne Barseghian and Pierre Hurmic. The latter refuse to participate in the event as long as Medina remains invited.
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